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The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 10. 41 points to close at 2,643.93 points on Sunday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 3. 20 points to close at 443. 60 points.

 A total of 15,720,367-unit shares of 318 companies were traded for Rs 9. 12 billion.

Meanwhile, Upakar Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (ULBSL) and Mathillo Mailun Khola Jalvidhyut Limited (MMKJL) were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Bottlers Nepal (Balaju) Limited (BNL), 11% NIC Asia Debenture 082/83 (NICAD8283), Dolti Power Company Limited (DOLTI) and Janaki Finance Company Limited (JFL) were the top losers as their price fell by 10. 00 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 38 trillion.

The CPN-UML called its Parliamentary Party meeting on January 28.

UML's Chief Whip in the House of Representatives (HoR), Mahesh Bartaula, informed that a meeting of the Parliamentary Party has been called at 1 pm in the Lhotse Hall of the Parliament Building, New Baneshwar on January 28 (Tuesday).

He said that the agenda of the meeting is preparations for the winter session of the Parliament starting from January 31.

The Disaster Authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs has called attention of the Chief District Officers (CDOs) towards the effective implementation of the action plan to be safe from cold.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA)'s directive comes in the wake of increasing cold wave in most of the districts in the Tarai and snowfall taking place in the mountainous region as well.

Stating that the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has even issued a special bulletin noting intensifying cold wave in the Tarai region which will continue for some more days, NDRRMA spokesperson Dr Dijan Bhattarai said letters have been sent to all the CDOs for implementing in a more effective way the Cold Wave and Snowfall Preparedness and Risk Reduction Action Plan, 2081 BS.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said a mild cold wave is prevalent in the eastern region of Madhes Province and the Tarai region of Koshi Province at present. Fog and haze have occurred in many places of the Tarai while snowfall is taking place in several places of the mountainous region.

The NDRRMA has issued and executed the Action Plan.

According to the meteorologists, there is a possibility of cold waves and snowfall in various parts of the country from mid-November to mid-March.

According to NDRRMA spokesperson Dr Bhattarai, there is a risk of cold wave in Tarai and inner-Tarai districts during this period, while in the high hilly and mountainous districts, the temperature decreases significantly and there is snowfall, increasing cold.

The Action Plan states that the poor are most affected by the cold wave, extreme cold and snowfall and there may be an outbreak of respiratory diseases during this period; therefore, especially the elderly, children, new mothers, persons with disabilities, chronic patients need special protection in the areas affected during the cold wave and snowfall, and so the necessary relief and rescue materials and the required preparations and response should be planned targeting the affected population.

The Department of Archaeology has begun exploration of the existence of an arms factory in the Patu Ratmata area of Bardibas-3.

A three-member expert team led by the Department's archaeologist Bhaskar Gyawali arrived in Bardibas on Saturday.

This place is a site of archaeological importance based on the conclusions of the previous studies obtained so far, said archaeologist Gyawali.

This place was discovered two decades ago by German researcher Gudon Karwins in Patu, Bardibas-3, on the present BP Highway (Bardibas-Banepa Highway). The expert team has stated that the future exploration work will proceed based on his study and exploration report.

The preliminary study has shown that this factory occupied a large area on the west side of the highway, four kilometers north of the present Bardibas Chowk.

The expert team has stated that the remains of human settlements were found here as far back as seven thousand years ago. The weapons factory may have existed much earlier, according to the expert team.

After the Department of Archaeology formally started work on the weapons factory site, the ancient sites here are now being studied gradually, says Bardibas Mayor Prahlad Kumar Chhetri.

Twenty-six persons were injured in a clash between police and locals protesting against the construction of a cable car in Pathibhara on Saturday. The clash took place at Baludanda, Kaflepati.

Among the injured, 21 are security personnel.

The protesters claimed that four persons were injured when police opened fire on them. According to them, among the injured, three are in critical condition.

Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma said that the situation had become tense after the protesters pelted stones at the police.

The District Police Office has stated that the police have recovered three khukuris, a slingshot and other items from the protesters.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Armed Police Naresh Maharjan, various items were recovered during the search after receiving information that the protesters were armed.

Meanwhile, the Himalayan Construction Private Limited has proceeded with the cable car construction work with a place to complete the construction within 15 months.

 The situation is now normal, according to the District Administration Office.

One of my friends recently graduated with an engineering degree but dreams of becoming a writer. His family insists he should get a secure job in his field, but he feels his creativity and passion are stifled and can’t tell his parents about it. How can young professionals navigate the conflict between following their passions and meeting societal or family expectations for a stable career?

Answered by Aditya Dangol, mental health professional

The argument of whether it is right for parents to decide their children’s career path has been historically controversial. Nepal is a collectivist society. It values keeping harmony, making collective decisions that benefit the group, and having a high regard for older generations. Unfortunately, many families may hold these values strongly to the extent that individual desires and choices are overlooked. This culture is heavily reflected in parental influence on an individual’s career choices. Families may attempt to convince their members to pursue career options such as engineering, medicine, and aviation which promise, real or perceived, economic security, and high social recognition. In many instances, individuals conform to the expectations of their family members over pursuing their desired career paths. Although people tend to succeed in sectors their families pushed them into, many accounts of resentment and frustration toward their families have been reported.

Your friend can’t seem to choose between following their passion and meeting family/societal expectations. Depending on what’s important for you as an individual, whether you follow your passion or fulfill your ‘responsibilities’ towards your family, both are ideal scenarios. However, being in the latter position seems to have become more of an unpleasant experience. In such scenarios, consider these questions: “Would it be possible for me to invest some time into writing while I’m pursuing engineering?”, “Do I want to pursue writing as a full-time career or be more flexible with it?”, “Is there a possibility of either of your choices to be sustainable for you, in the future? 

Navigating yourself in conflicts of career choices or any value clash between family members can be tricky. It might be difficult and even scary to communicate your choices that deter from or even oppose your family’s values. However, difficult conversations are important. It provides a space for members to understand and empathize with one another. What we can work on is how we have those conversations. Generally, it’s suggested that such interactions are most effective when done one-on-one rather than addressed to a group. Equally important is to ensure that all parties involved are in an emotionally relaxed state. Emotionally charged conversations cause more unhealthy conflicts. If you plan on having this difficult conversation, preparing yourself by discussing it with a trusted one can help you feel ready. I must be honest, there is still a chance of conflict even if all these rules are followed. However, understand that conflicts can be healthy and help solve ‘hushed’ problems.

Setting boundaries or asserting yourself could be perceived as disrespectful by family members, leading to conflict. While we must stay respectful, healthy conflict between members is a natural and necessary part of any relationship. Most conflicts arise due to the clash of individual values and perspectives, which likely have never had the chance to surface. Avoid arguments when emotionally charged (leave the room or space if you have to). Have a one-on-one conversation after things have calmed down (prevents interference from other members). Don’t bring old issues and, if needed, discuss it with a trusted individual beforehand.

The National Youth Federation Nepal recognized four outstanding individuals for their contributions to inspiring Nepali society across various fields. The honors were presented during a national cadre gathering held in Kathmandu on Saturday.

The recipients were Shishir Pachhai, CEO of Kantipur Television; cricketer Paras Khadka; taekwondo player Palesha Govardhan; and IT entrepreneur Asgar Ali. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli presented them with certificates of honor and dosalas.

Speaking at the event, the federation’s central vice president, Krishnahari KC, highlighted the significance of the honorees’ achievements. “In times when despair is being cultivated systematically in Nepali society, these creative individuals have demonstrated that it is possible to succeed in Nepal. Their message is clear—initiatives by the youth can make a difference,” he said.

Commercial banks expanded their deposits by 10.28 percent to Rs 558bn over the past year. By mid-Jan 2025, 20 commercial banks in the country had total deposits of Rs 5,987bn compared to Rs  5,429bn in mid-Jan last year, data provided by the Nepal Bankers’ Association (NBA) shows. However, loan disbursement during the period grew by only 7.06 percent to Rs 317bn. Total loan investments of commercial banks reached Rs 4,815bn in mid-Jan this year, compared to Rs 4,498 a year ago.

Slow credit disbursement by commercial banks due to persisting economic slowdown has further aggravated liquidity situation, driving interest lowers and hitting their profitability. Loans demands have not picked up due to declining confidence among entrepreneurs and businesspeople. There, however, are some signs of recovery particularly from hydropower and tourism sectors, bankers say.

Four commercial banks saw their lending decline over the past year. NIC Asia Bank saw its total lending fall by the highest 13.72 percent Standard Chartered was next with a decline of 3.75 percent followed by Prabhu Bank (3.32 percent) and Himalayan Bank (1.03 percent). Except for NIC Asia Bank, all commercial banks reported deposit growth in the review period. According to the NBA, NIC Asia’s total deposits fell by 17.7 percent to Rs 313bn. Conversely, Rastriya Banijya Bank Ltd recorded the highest deposit growth among commercial banks in the country during the one-year period. The state-owned bank’s deposit increased by 32.58 percent to Rs 446bn in mid-January.

As at mid-Jan, Global IME Bank has the biggest credit portfolio of Rs 430bn among 20 commercial banks in the country. Nabil Bank and Nepal Investment Mega Bank Ltd are next with total lendings of Rs 409.11bn and Rs 355.42bn, respectively. These three banks also have the highest deposits of Rs 534.07bn, Rs 489.13bn and Rs 445.14bn, respectively. Commercial banks extended Rs 94bn in credit and mobilized Rs 51bn in deposits in the sixth month of the current fiscal year (mid-Dec to mid-Jan) alone.

Total Deposits of Commercial Banks